Friday, March 5, 2010

Finding Peace In The Midst Of The Storm

A friend asked me to write on this topic for her. I decided that I would post it on my blog for others struggling with the storms of life:

Hmmmm...my first thought is that Peace is not something that you find. It is something that you either have or don't. Our peace comes from Christ, the knowledge that no matter what is happening around us at the moment, God is still on His throne. He is in control and knows the best for us.

We live in a temporary world, but because our spirits are eternal, we confuse what is happening today with the eternal. We think that there is nothing in this world that is eternal except the gospel of Christ, but we as humans living in a temporary world are hardwired for the eternal. We think that the problem we face today is so terrible that we can't go on, but don't realize the problem is temporary.

My peace comes from the fact that I am not alone in my suffering and problems. And nothing that I am experiencing is new. Everything that is happening in my life has happened to others before me.
Hebrews 12:1-2 - “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

My faith and actions determine what will happen next. I can allow my life to thrive in Christ or I can be destroyed by Satan. It is my choice. Yet even when I mess up and don't make the right decisions, God is able to work that out too.

All things work together for the good of those that love the Lord and are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

God knows your name. He knows who and what you are and He loves you anyway. That is the peace. He wants what is best for you. That brings peace. His hand is always open to you. His desire is for your best. Jeremiah 29:11. If only we will take His hand, He will lead us through the storm. That is true peace.

Quit fighting Him. Release the strongholds that are surrounding you. Free yourself to worship Him in a way that you have never done before. All He wants is for you to love Him as much as He loves you. He wants your praise and adoration. You have to completely give Him your all. You have to lay down your life, your illness, your panic attacks, your desires to Him. You have to ask Him to heal you completely, then accept that He has done it and never concern yourself with it again. All too often, we ask for healing. We pray fervent prayers asking God to take away our suffering. Then, we walk away from the altar with one eye looking back at what we asked to be healed of. We pray and then walk away thinking, "sure hope that worked." That is not faith. God doesn't work like that. We have to believe it. COMPLETELY. Give your life fully to Him and watch what He can do.

Over a year ago, I asked God to heal me of my obesity. I believe that God could have gone zap! and the excess weight would have fallen to the floor, but He didn't. I believe that God is doing a work in my life that takes time. He is molding and shaping my mind as He molds my body. He is teaching me obedience through this experience. Do I believe that God is answering my prayer? Absolutely! Do I believe that God even cares if I weigh 150 lbs or 339lbs? Absolutely! He cares because He loves me. If it matters to me, it matters to God. I am His child and just as my heart breaks when I see Ellie cry, God's heart breaks when I cry. That is where my peace comes from. From knowing that God loves me so much that He will not let any thing happen to me that I can not handle. No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. 1 Cor. 10:13

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thess. 5:23

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About Me

I'm weird, I know. You don't have to tell me; enough people have already told me. It is ok though. Love me or hate me. I am the person that God made me. I am significant because He says I am and it doesn't matter what people think. Sure wish I would have known that as a teenager...it would have saved me lots of heartache!
I have lots of off-topic thoughts, so from now on I am going to put those thoughts in italics to help left-brainers keep up with my train of thought!